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v RAIL JOINT.

No. 506,076. I Patented Oct. 3,1893.

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- ATTORNEY.

UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE R. ROOT, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 506,076, dated October 3, 1893. Application filed November 17, 1892. Serial No. 452,249. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. R001, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in that class of supports for the joints of railway rails in which the rails are embraced and supported by a pair of fish-plates each having an inwardly turned flange adapted to support the foot of the rail, and resting upon their outer lower edges only, whereby the weight of the rail operates to force the upper edges of the fish-plates together.

The object of my improvement is, to provide a form of fish-plate of this class and a supporting chair therefor each of which may be conveniently-formed by rolling.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation. Fig. 2 represents a section at -a- Fig. 1.

In the drawings, A, indicates the rails.

B, B, are a pair of fish-plates bent at the lower edge so as to form on each a flange, C, which extends beneath and supports the foot of the rail. The upper edge of each of the fish-plates rests beneath and supports the head of the rail, and the inner surfaces of the plates, near their upper edges, embrace the web of the rail between them. The flange O is so constructed that, when the plate is in position on the rail, the weight of the rail will be supported at or near the angle formed by the plate and its flange, at points beyond the width of the rail. This result is obtained, preferably, by forming a rib, D, upon the under surface of the flange, near the angle. Plates B, B, are supported upon the tie, E, by means of a pair of flat plates, F, F, each having'on its upper surface a longitudinal rib, G. A notch, H, adapted to receive one side of the rib G, is formed in the outer lower corner of each of the plates B. When formed in this manner the plates B and F may each be formed of wrought iron and easily rolled into shape.

In operation, the plates B, B,- are placed on opposite sides, across the joint formed by the abutting ends of two rails, the foot of the rail resting upon the upper surfaces of the flanges O, and the upper edges of the plates resting against and embracing the web of the rail immediately beneath its head. Plates F, F, are then slipped beneath the flanges 0,0, the ribs G resting in the notches H, of the fishplates, and the ribs D of the fish-plates resting upon the upper surfaces of the plates F. Plates F are then secured to the tie by spikes I, I. The rail being supported upon the flanges 0, between the points at which the flanges are supported upon the tie, the plates B are forced toward each other at their upper edges, thus clamping the rail between them with a force which is increased in a proportion due to the increased weight upon the rail, during the passage of a train. The ribs G, on the plates F, operate to prevent either lateral or longitudinal movement of the plates B. By this means the abutting ends of the rails are held exactly in line without the use of bolts or like fastenings, and without interference with the longitudinal movement of the rails by expansion and contraction.

I claim as my invention In'a railway-joint, the combination with a pair of abutting rails, of the pair of fish-plates arranged to embrace the rails at their joint, the lower edges of said plates being each provided with an inwardly turned flange (J having upon its lower face a rib D, and a notch H, and the pair of plates F, each provided with a rib G, and adapted to be secured to a railway tie, all arranged to co-operate substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

GEORGE R. ROOT.

Witnesses:

H. P. H001), E. K. H001). 

